Switch for tramways and the like.



A. WILKINSON.

SWITCH FOR TRAMWAYS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATlON FILED APR.8.19M.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

l/V VE/V TOR WITNESSES:

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

earner carton ADOLFO ili ILKllINSON, OF BAHIA BLANCA, ARGENTINA.

SWITCH FOR TRAMWAYS AND LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

Application and April 8, 1914. Serial No. 830,364.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLro lViLKiNsoN, a citizen of the ArgentineRepublic, residing at No. 66, 19 de Mayao street, Bahia Blanca,

Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, have invented certain new anduseful Improve ments in Switches for Tramways and the like, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to a novel system of switches for tramwaysand the like and has for its object the production of an apparatus whichin combination with another device, placed on the platform or otherconvenient point of a tram car, will permit of operating the switchpoints without the necessity of stopping the vehicle.

Heretofore several devices have been proposed for avoiding the troubleof'having to effect switching by hand, by means of a lever or baroperated from the platform of the car or by means of switching devicesof the kind used in connection with railways and operated by specialattendants whose sala ries are an extra charge to the budget of thecompanies. However, all such switching devices are of a ra hercomplicated nature and inconsequence very expensive to install. Owing totheir complex mechanism, these devices are also liable to get out oforder easily and mistakes often occur in connection with the operationthereof. All these troubles are entirely avoided by the use of thedevice constructed in accordance with my present invention. On the otherhand, many of the apparatus proposed as above stated, are not reliablein their operation, the switch points being often shifted only partiallyand the driver of the vehicle will only note this when the car has goneoff the rails or any other disturbance in the regular advance of thevehicle takes place. This difficulty will also be eliminated by thedevice forming the object of this invention, as the shifting of theswitch points must necessarily be complete and after switching has ibeen performed, the point is retained in the part obvious and in partpointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction heremafter set forth, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawings, in which are illustrated one of the various possibleembodiments of the several features of this invention, Figure l showsthe apparatus in position for switchng a car on to the straight track.Fig. 2 IS a view similar to that of Fig. 1, but with the apparatus inposition for switching a car onto the curve. Fig. 3 is a view of thegeneral position of the apparatus between the rails, and Fig. 4: is avertical section showing the operating rod which serves for operatingthe device placed at the middle of the platform of the car.

In all the said figures, the same letters of reference indicate like orcorresponding parts.

Theapparatus consists of a sextant A, A, A", pivoted at F and guided ina track E into which enter two studs D, for the purpose of limiting themovement of the sextant. At a suitable point T of said sextant ispivoted a rod H, conveniently connected at its other end to the switchpoint which is to be operated. To the sextant A,- A, A is pivoted at Ranother sextant B, whose movements are limited by the stops D and theare S which latter, at the end of the stroke of the principal sextant,strikes against the bells l1. On the sextant A, A and A and proecting toa convenient height from the surface of said sextant, and level with thesextant Band the are S, are two bars C, of a suitable degree ofinclination, the purpose and operation of which will be explained lateron. v

The connecting rod H which slides within its corresponding guide, isprovided with a curved projection J of a width equal to the length ofthe stroke of the switch point. The object of this projection is to holdthe rod kl and the switch point attached thereto in position so that thepassage of vehicles other than the cars on the track shall not vary theposition of the switch point, while at the same time permitting the rodH to be actuated by means of the sextant to which it is connected,

'Theentire apparatus is conveniently secured to the sleepers of thetrack, being placed at the middle of the same and is in- 1" closedwithin fluted plates leaving between them a space G for the movements ofthe sextants. The plates which form the cover, are arranged at thelevelof the surface of the ground.

' The apparatus which forms the object of the present invention, isoperated from the platform of the'car by means of a rod or bar N, ofsuitable dimensions and so arranged that it will be caused to correspondwith the groove G, said bar being provided with a spring P and adaptedto be operated V by the hand or foot of the driver, or in any otherconvenient manner. In vehicles provided with central traction devices,the said bar may take at its upper part'the shape of a quadrant, inorder to not interfere with the traction device. Generally, a handle orleverO is provided for actuating the said' bar.

Having now described the several parts which form the apparatus, itsmode of operation will be readily understood from the followingdescription: The bar N (Fig. 4)

upon being operated by means of the handle 0, descends against theaction of the spring P, toward the groove G, and opens the slidable partwhich closes the central part between the two plates, by compressing thesprings K. The bar N continues moving downward between the parts G untilengaging against one of the bars C forming part of the sextant A, A, A,thereby causing this latter to turn toward the right or the left,accordingto the position in which it was found. The sextant on movingalong and the bar N continuing also its movement, the latter will engagewith one of the sides of the sextant B and push it toward the right orthe left, according to the position occupied before initiating themovement, and

finally will engage with the side of the are S, thereby causing thesextant A, A, A" to complete its stroke until the arc strikes the bell,the use of which, though not absoagainst one or the other of the bellsL. At this moment, the switch point has been completely thrown and thedriver of the vehicle will'be advised of this fact by the sound oflutely necessary, will much assist to enhance the satisfactory Workingof the device. The motorman will thereupon lift the bar N and return thesame to its normal position. The

bar N, when approaching the outlet of the apparatus, will gradually riseto the level of the ground owing to the gradual elevation of the groovewhich by its ends supports and does not require any expensive structures, while the severalparts of the same may be constructed of anysuitable material.

The very simplicity of its construction 1 renders the device less liableto get out of order While at the same time it allows of the points beingoperated when desired, by

means of a bar or lever.

The lubrication ofthe apparatus may be effected in any convenientmanner, for instance, by means of small holes provided with plugs formedat the required places and in the covering plates.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments ofthis invention could be madewithout departing from the .scope thereof,it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It isalso to be understood that the language used in the following claims isintended to cover all of the generic and specific features of theinvention herein described and all statements of the scope of theinvention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to falltherebetween. V i V Having descrlbed my invention, what I claim as newand desire to secure by Let 'ters Patentis: V .1

1. In a device of thecha'racter described, in combination, a trackand aswitch therefor, a member pivoted between the rails of said track, aconnection between said memher and the point of said switch, a pluralityV of bars on said member, a member pivoted on said first member, meansVmounted on a vehicle adapted to engage one of said bars to cause motionof said first member and to subsequently engage said second pivotedmember to cause further motion of said first V 7 member and the thereto,and means for limiting the movement of said first member.

2. A railway-switch actuating mechanism comprising, in combination, aswitch-point, a pivotally mounted member, a connection between saidmember and said switch-point, two inclined bars fastened to said member,

a triangular shaped device pivoted to said member, plates mounted abovesaid member and spaced apart to form a channel, and

.means depending from a vehicle adaptedtO enter said channel andto makecontact with one or the otherof said inclinedbars and thereafter withsaid triangular shaped device whereby said member is rotated to shiftsaid switch-point. V

3. A railway-switch actuating mechanism comprising, in combination witha track, a switch-point, a sector pivoted between the rails of saidtrack, a rod connecting said sector and said switclrpoint, two inclined130 switch-point attached members mounted on sa idsector, means mountedon a vehicle adapted to engage either one or the other of said membersto move said sector, a second sector pivotally mounted on said firstsector and adapted to be engaged by said means on a vehicle to causefurther motion of said first sector, and a cam member mounted on saidfirst sector and adapted to be engaged by said means on a vehicle tocause still further movement of said first sector to complete the throwof said switch-point.

at. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a trackswitch, a

' plurality of plates adjacent said switch, a

slot between two of said plates, a spring pressed slide adapted to closesaid slot, a depending member carried by a vehicle and adapted to movesaid slide to open said slot, and means mounted beneath said plates andadapted to be moved by said depending member after the latter has openedsaid slot,

the movement of said means causing the actuation of said track switch.

5. A switch shifting apparatus comprising, in combination, aswitch-point, a pivoted plate, a connection between said switchpoint andsaid plate, a depending member carried by a vehicle, and a plurality ofclevices on said plate adapted to be successively engaged by said.depending member to cause a complete throw of said switch-point in onedirection and to be left in a condition permitting a subsequentoperation by said depending member to throw said switclrpoint in theopposite direction.

6. In a switch shifting apparatus, in combination, a switch-point, arotatable plate,

a: connection between said plate and said switch-point, two projectingbars upon said plate, a depending member mounted upon a vehicle andadapted to engage one of the projecting bars as the vehicle movesthere-- over to rotate said plate, and a pivoted member upon said plateadapted to be engaged by said depending member to cause further rotationof said plate and to bring the other of said projecting bars intoposition to be engaged by a depending member upon a subsequent operationof the apparatus.

7. In a switch shifting apparatus, in combination, a switch-point, arotatable plate, a connection between said plate and said? switch-point,two projecting bars upon said,-

plate, a depending member mounted upon a vehicle and adapted to engageone of the projecting bars as the vehicle moves there-- over to rotatesaid plate, a pivoted, member upon said plate adapted to be engaged bysaid depending member to cause further rotation of said plate and tobring the other of said projecting bars into position to be engaged by adepending member upon a subsequent operation of the apparatus, and a camupon said plate adapted to be engaged by said depending member to causefurther rotation of said plate to place said pivoted member in properposition with relation to said projecting bars to permit a subsequentoperation of the apparatus.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ADOLFO WILKINSON. WVitnesses:

J. H. AINSWORTH, A. Siann.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

7 Washington, I). G.

